How To Run Your Very Own Self-Sufficient Classroom
The Self-Sufficient Classroom…
Let’s imagine that you are a pilot and that you are responsible for getting 30 passengers from point A to point B. You greet your passengers as they board the plane, you give them clear directions, so they know where their carry-on luggage goes, you’ve given safety instructions, and you’ve made sure they are seated and are bucked in. You walk back to the front of the plane, secure the hatch, and close the door to the cockpit. Once given the go ahead from air traffic control, you push back from the gate, and begin to taxi until it is time for you to take off; but instead of you controlling the plane for this flight, you’ve turned on Auto Plot. You can now sit back and with the push of a button, you can watch the plane get you from point A to point B without you doing no more than pushing a button.
Did you picture it? Now imagine your classroom running just like this! On autopilot! This is what the self-sufficient classroom looks like and feels like. Are you on the plane with your passengers? Yes. Are you in the classroom with your students? Yes. Are you having to do all the work? NO! Your classroom can be run in a self-sufficient way so that you have time to teach and work with your students. So often as teachers we can get bogged down with all the paperwork and the things that take away from education that this will give you back the time you need to enjoy your students, teach, and enjoy all things education!
I want to give you the secrets of exactly how this works.
I want to give you the secrets of how I run my classroom and have run my classroom for the past 13 years!
The 12 Secrets to Running A Self-Sufficient Classroom
SECRET 1: THE FOUNDATION
If you don’t have a great foundation that has been laid, then you’ll never have a self-sufficient classroom. Laying the right foundation takes place at the beginning of the school year. The foundation (rules, consequences, rewards, expectations, etc.) are laid on day one!
I always make sure that I methodically lay the foundation during the first few weeks of school, so that as the year progresses, students understand the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of the classroom. Without the proper foundation, no struggle will stand.
SECRET 2: COMMUNICATION
One of the most important parts of the classroom is the relationship between not just the students and the teacher, but the parents and the teacher. Communication, communication, communication is KEY to your self-sufficient classroom.
This refers to communication with both students and parents. Your classroom will be able to run on autopilot the more everyone understands the ins and outs of your classroom. If parents are out of the loop and students do not fully understand what it is that you are wanting; this will lead to a major disaster. Knowing how to communicate with your students’ families and with what tools to do that with is key to self-sufficiency.
SECRET 3: ORGANIZATION
Being organized is key to productivity in any situation. Thankfully I’ve always been an organized person but I know that not everyone is like this. My triplet sister Donna is the total opposite of me, and due to her unorganization, I understand the opposite side. An unorganized office leads to a less productive day, just as an unorganized classroom and an unorganized teacher leads to a chaotic day. Having a place for all supplies and knowing where they go helps to minimize on the clutter. Where will students turn in their homework, classwork, folders and important papers? Having a place for all copies, student work, office supplies, and important papers adds to the organization of the self-sufficient classroom.
SECRET 4: ALL THINGS GRADING
Grades, grades, grades! This used to be one of my biggest struggles as a teacher. Creating an organized place where students could turn in their assignments and homework, collecting the work that they did, grading all the things, and then returning it to them in a timely manner. I used to struggle in this area because I would become so overwhelmed with trying to figure out who turned in what, then trying to collect the work from students, and getting it all back in a timely manner. I’ve figured out a way to stay ahead of the game with grades and I am not looking back!
SECRET 5: PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
I used to dread parent teacher conferences. When I say dread, I mean dread. I would break out in a sweat the night before conferences, and my stomach would be in knots. Having to sit and talk about sweet Johnny and amazing Suzie was something I did not want to have to do. I would rather have been at the dentist office having a tooth pulled. However, once I began to implement and use a system in which I felt I had more of a control, I didn’t dread conferences, and don’t dread them as much. Putting more of an emphasis on the child taking responsibility has been a great advantage.
SECRET 6: PREPARING FOR A SUB
I don’t know about you, but sometimes preparing for a sub can feel like a part time job. I want to make sure my students are on their best behavior and have enough work when I’m out. I don’t want the substitute to have be confused whatsoever during the time that they are filling in for me.
For years I’ve gotten a lot of comments and compliments on my sub plans. Recently a sub that I used came to tell me that she enjoyed my class and LOVED my sub plans. She went on to say that she wished the district would let me teach a course on “How to Prepare for a Sub.” WOW! It just makes me happy that so many substitutes find my plans and preparation so beneficial.
SECRET 7: GOOGLE
I don’t know about your school district, but mine is heavily pushing the use of all things Google. With Google you can do so many things!
We use Google Classroom in my district. When I taught in the private school sector, I used it there as well. Google Classroom, once you’ve played around with it, is almost like a teachers assistant.
Google has lots of amazing features it offers to teachers. With Google you can collaborate with your teammates and fellow colleagues. I know that I create lesson plans and instantly have them ready to go for my teammates.
You can create assignments and assessments in Google and can also have it graded within seconds of submission. I can develop forms in Google quickly and easily. Google Forms helps with making, seating charts, grading rubrics and more.
I was not a huge fan of Google Classroom at first. I just didn’t want to learn yet another thing. I absolutely LOVE it now! When using Google Classroom, I can automatically see what students are working on. I can also see what assignments have not been turned in yet. I love being able schedule out assignments for students.
Whether you use Google Classroom or not, having a classroom website is so important. By creating a classroom website through Google, I now have another way to communicate with parents.
Google truly adds to the mission and goal of the self-sufficient classroom!
SECRET 8: CLASSROOM DONATIONS & TEACHER PERKS
I’ve found it hard to always find the teacher discounts and perks that are available to us as educators. Let’s also be real, who has time to look for those discounts all the time? Trying to get parents to donate to the classroom can also be a challenge at times. I’ve narrowed down some of the top teacher perks as well as ways to get parents on board with donating to the classroom (and donating regulary).
SECRET 9: EVALUATIONS
I surely can’t be the only person who doesn’t like evaluations. Your palms are sweaty, your heart is beating fast, and you cross your fingers and hope you don’t forget the lesson you’ve prepared. Are there enough anchor charts hanging up on the walls, are your essential questions or ‘I CAN’ statements current, what about your students behavior. So many things to think about during, yet again, another evaluation.
I know that this is the thing that I dread the most when it comes to teaching and the everyday classroom; however, this seems to always be the area that I thrive in. There are things that I do to prepare myself for evaluations; both announced and unannounced. Don’t get me wrong, I still can’t stand to be evaluated, but these things help to cut down on my anxiety and nervousness.
SECRET 10: STATE TESTING
Don’t get me wrong. State testing is important. I always like looking at the data to see what my kids picked up on and what areas I know I may need to hit a bit harder for the following year; but testing is not a measurement of all the capabilities that my students possess. I used to be so driven by the score, that I did not take the time to separate the student from the score. Once I took that pressure off of myself I felt that I was actually a better teacher. Yes, I do want my kiddos to perform well on any and all assessments, but I know that the data does not define them.
SECRET 11: CLASSROOM UNITY
Let’s be real. When students are arguing, bullying, or are being less than cordial with one another; this takes away from the learning environment. I have learned that the more I celebrate the differences in my students, the more the environment does not tolerate or accept those unwanted behaviors. A self-sufficient classroom thrives best when it is celebrating the differences that we each bring to the classroom.
SECRET 12: CELEBRATING THE END
I don’t know about you, but I always look forward to the end of the school year. Yes, I love my students and enjoy the time I get to spend with them for 180 days, but I am also human, and enjoy being able to sleep in, spend time with family and friends, and, you guessed it, use the restroom whenever I feel the need to go.
The summer is also a time for me as a teacher to be able to reflect on the previous school year, and slowly (and I mean slowly) begin to prepare for the upcoming year.
It is my goal every single year to have a better classroom experience for the upcoming year and to continue having a classroom that runs self-sufficiently.
How To Create Your Very Own Self-Sufficient Classroom
I truly feel that because my classroom is a self-sufficient classroom, that I am able to get back the time that I want and need to teach, develop relationships with my students, and enjoy all things education!
